I. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a thermal cutting machine, comprising a car which is adapted to travel on rails disposed on either side of the strand for cutting and which bears a movable cutter and which is entrained by the strand by means of a bearing system adapted to be placed on to the top of the strand.
II. Description of the Prior Art
Thermal cutting machines of this type are coupled to the moving strand before the cutting operation is started. Clamping systems were originally used for this purpose, but they proved disadvantageous and have been replaced by the bearing system mentioned above. In a thermal cutting machine disclosed, for example, in Austrian patent specification No. 330 972 and of the kind referred to hereinabove, externally controlled hydraulic drives and expensive guide means are required on the car in conjunction with the bearing system, and this makes the cutting machine complicated, expensive to manufacture and maintenance-intensive.